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Dining, Restaurants in Seaside, Oregon and Gearhart

(Seaside, Oregon) - The oldest tourist resort on the Oregon coast has a few more surprises in store – delicious surprises.

It’s here where candy stuffs and fast foods rule the "Million Dollar Walk" of Broadway, but there’s so much more lurking in the town’s culinary roster. Ethnic foods from various lands, gourmet markets, and other cutting edge opps for the foodie are now popping up all over, and the town’s dining landscape is actually brimming with such restaurants.

Seafood, of course, is a big staple in Seaside, and then there’s the quiet class of some of other eatery possibilities. There’s even some monstrous gourmet ice cream to top off your north Oregon coast experience.

Bell Buoy of Seaside/ Buoy's Best Fish House. That ancient sign - that quaint bit of old time Americana on the roadside of 101 in Seaside - is also a signpost to great grub. It's famous as a fresh seafood market, but in recent years Bell Buoy added a much-lauded restaurant: Bell Buoy's Best Fish House. There, you can grab all manner of seafood melts, cocktails, shooters and baskets of yummy stuff. Let your tummy bask in the warm glow of excellent melts with local Dungeness crab, shrimp, smoked salmon and oysters, as well as delicious seafood cocktails of a large variety. All is quite reasonably priced. And whatever you do, DON'T miss their tuna melts! 1800 S. Roosevelt Dr., Seaside, Oregon. (503) 738-6348. You can order this yummy stuff online as well, at www.bellbuoyofseaside.com.

Zinger's Homemade Ice Cream. Dive into scrumptious homemade ice cream - plus they make their own fudge. Of note is their take on chocolate with malted milk balls in it. It's quite a mouthful. Or the powerful fresh fruit taste of the marionberry, using real Marion County berries. Also spectacular are the other fruit flavors, such as the tangy (and very real) strawberry, and the seriously wowing (but only periodically available) mango. All the fruity ones have chunks of the real thing inside, waiting to surprise. Sugar free and diabetic options are available, but mostly Zinger's specializes in frozen excess. Singles are actually the size of two scoops and doubles - well, they're twice as large. 210 Broadway. Seaside, Oregon. (503) 738-3939. www.zingersicecream.com

Also: Oregon Coast Seafood Restaurant Guide -

Dining Nearby – Restaurants in Cannon Beach and Nehalem

Fultano's Pizza. Gourmet Italian and a Family Price. This one delivers to local hotels, and they feature slices for lunch. There's a special thin crust recipe that's especially tasty, crunchy and yet still tender in a way that manages to combine both those latter qualities seamlessly.

There are many of the standbys, as well as gourmet varieties like the Margherita (garlic and herb olive oil, three cheeses, red onion and more), a Greek-themed specialty, a Goat Cheese pizza, and specialties with Teriyaki Chicken, Linguica, BBQ Chicken and a variety of seafood selections. One item features a distinctive sausage with mashed grapes for the sauce, providing a subtle, sweet tang. The sausage is spicy and zippy, making a nice balance to the slight sweetness.

One must-try is their pasta (about $10). They have a homemade tomato sauce that stacks up against anything Europe could dish out. This is one stunning, mother-of-all sauces, and their penne pasta with meatballs is a seriously addictive dish. 200 N. Hemlock and Second Street. www.CBfultanos.com (503) 436-9717. (15 mins drive from Seaside, Oregon)

Inspired! Café. A café inside an art gallery creates more than a place to simply sit, sip and down truly inspired cuisine, with bright colors, a multitude of levels of things to look at and intriguing furniture. All this comes with a green slant and emphasis on local organic ingredients, including fair trade, shade-grown coffee. Munch on handcrafted flatbreads (about $7), like the Italian (herb infused mozzarella, goat cheese, parmesan and sundried tomatoes), or the Southwestern (spiced beans, corn salsa, pepper jack cheese), or the savory Indian (curried sweet potato, mango, goat cheese). On-site baked goods include Gorgonzola walnut bread (half loaf, $7; full loaf $12), as well as other fine breads and muffins. Fruit plates available too. To drink you’ll find a large menu of gourmet teas, as well as fine wines, imported beers and Oregon-made, organic sakes. At the corner of 1st and Hemlock in Cannon Beach. 503-436-1533. www.DragonFireStudio.com. (15 mins drive from Seaside, Oregon)

Stephanie Inn Dining Room. Four-star restaurant inside hotel. Soaring wood ceiling accentuated by a chandelier, w/ historic atmosphere. Seating times and days change seasonally and reservations are required. $59 per person for a masterful four-course prix fixe dinner in an innovative Northwest cuisine style, featuring fresh, seasonal and local ingredients. Their wine list has numerous awards from Wine Spectator Magazine. The menu changes nightly. Sample menu: Tomato Basil Soup with gorgonzola cream; Seared Beef Tenderloin with Duchess potatoes, grilled onions and peppercorn reduction sauce. 2740 South Pacific. Cannon Beach (five mins drive from Seaside, Oregon). 800-633-3466. www.stephanieinn.com

The Lumberyard Rotisserie & Grill. Classy but beachy laid back; lovely bar but family friendly. Lunch: main entrees $10 to $16, include rotisserie pot pie, rib-eye chili dog, ribs, Seafood like fish ‘n’ chips. Pork sliders or rib-eye philly around $10. Large burgers chicken, chili, halibut or sirloin are around $10 - $15. 10-inch gourmet hearthstone pizzas. Dinner many same dishes, also rotisserie chicken, rotisserie turkey, steak, top sirloin, pasta. Child’s menu. 264 Third Street. Cannon Beach (five mins drive from Seaside, Oregon). (503) 436-0285. www.thelumberyardgrill.com

The Wayfarer Restaurant and Lounge. Legendary upscale classic, ocean view. Breakfast $6 to $15 range. Lunch: appetizers; large sandwiches include meats, seafoods and burger around $13. Tacos, filet and fries, wild forest mushroom and cheese ravioli. Dinner includes potato crusted halibut cranberry and brown butter sauce, a cedar planked honey mustard salmon, steamer clams - $25 to $30. Filet mignon, steaks, wild mushroom chicken. 1190 Pacific Drive. Cannon Beach (five mins drive from Seaside, Oregon). 503-436-1108. www.wayfarer-restaurant.com/

San Dune Pub. With a historical, even slight maritime vibe, the San Dune Pub is a classy staple among locals, regulars and tourists alike. A super friendly staff serves up fine microbrews as well as scrumptious grub in the American and seafood vein with homemade sauces. Appetizers in the $3 - $9 range include hummus, cheese bread, various tots/fries, hot wings or calamari. Plenty of burgers in varied incarnations like chili, bacon, cheese, teriyaki, BBQ, chipotle, veggie or chicken come with tons of interesting additions. Got seafood? There’s strips, chips, burgers, tacos and more with fishies or oysters. Wraps and ciabatta sandwiches around $8 include chicken, Caesar, pesto, turkey and bacon/swiss, among others. Soups and salads abound. Less than ten minutes from the surfing paradise of Short Sands, weekends abound with live music frivolity. 127 Laneda Ave., Manzanita, Oregon. 503-386-5080. www.sandunepub.com (25 mins drive from Seaside)

Tsunami Bar & Grill. A scrumptious bay view with sandwiches, fish and chips, hamburgers and a massive array of Asian cuisine. A cozy interior with woodsy fee, you'll find very reasonably priced family dining that boasts tasty delights from Korea, Japan and Thailand. Spring rolls, curry chicken, char grilled pork, Korean short ribs and bentos are some of the highlights. Most large dishes around $9.50. Stir fry yakisoba noodles come with chicken beef or tofu. Hot wings are Asian-style. Fish ‘n’ chips baskets are enormous and legendary among locals ($8 - $12). Full compliment of sides like tots, fries, steamed or fried rice and more. Cheeseburgers come in interesting varieties like BBQ bacon, mushrooms, chipotle black bean, gardenburger, chicken sandwich with honey Dijon, and others – all around $8. Full bar in back has one of the coolest retro interiors in Oregon. 675 Nehalem Blvd (Hwy 101). Wheeler. 503-368-3778. www.beachconnection.net/tsunami_grill_wheeler/ Family Dining near Seaside, Oregon

Arch Cape Inn & Retreat It’s the coast’s most intriguing and exclusive restaurant – but you can be a part of it too. Inside a stunning castle, you can dine on the creations by two master chefs. Friday nights are a prix fixe extravaganza of the palate that is $88 per couple; Saturdays are their now-legendary crab feast at 7 p.m. ($39 per person). Mornings feature cutting-edge cuisine for breakfast, with two seatings: 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., ($15 per person). Reservations are required for all as space is limited. A sample dinner menu: a light, airy chicken piccata with a lemon cream sauce, toasted pearl couscous, and a roasted tenderloin of beef with wild mushrooms ragout. Crab feasts include a variety of gourmet items. Breakfast may find a baked praline French toast, a poached egg sandwich or rosemary roasted red potatoes, among numerous other items. Fine wines are extra. Look for East Ocean Rd., just north of the Arch Cape Tunnel. Arch Cape, Oregon (s. of Cannon Beach and Seaside). www.archcapehouse.com. 800-436-2848. (15 mins drive from Seaside)

Also: Oregon Coast Seafood Restaurant Guide -

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